Great replacement di-noc comparison

Hi folks. I'm forever paranoid that someone will run into my Colony and that I'll have to completely re-do the woodgrain di-noc. I have gotten samples from 3M of their architectural finishes, but the product is just too thick, and I think would be hard to get to conform to different bends in the sheetmetal. The samples from woodgrain4wagons are a nice color, but too blurry looking for my taste. The same goes for Stripeman products. Then I came across a visual comparison of different replacement woodgrain samples that I am posting the link to. I really like the look of Auto Trim Design's "Cherry Oak", and it's not just for Jeeps (you can get pre-cut panels for the Grand Wagoneers). You can also get different width rolls and use it on any wagon. What's really good about this comparison is that the guy did it right on top of and next to the real thing on the side of his Wagoneer. Enjoy!

Printed on foil???? I don't think so....
The most important thing is to make sure it's cast vinyl, regular extruded vinyl isn't stable and will shrink. The di-noc is way too thick, it's more for cubicle divider walls and wrapping pillars in buildings.
I have samples from most of those places, I spent three years researching it while doing the resto on my former Vista Cruiser.
The best stuff is the Sharpline 2 mil digital woodgrain printed on 3M high performance film IMO, my old-timer pro vinyl installer lady agreed.
New Life Auto Trim had the best price and gave me an additional discount off the listed price. You can't buy it directly from Sharpline.
The patterns on some of that other stuff sticks out like a sore thumb on the car and the pattern repeat is too close to do anything about, looks like a series of eyeballs or satellite hurricae images going down the side of the car.
You can't tell from a little sample, need the whole roll or a pic of a car with it installed to tell. You get what you pay for with this stuff, you don't want to buy old film either, it has a very short shelf life and is usually printed when you order it.
Nine out of ten cars that I've seen have the vinyl installed wrong, including the sample pics of the ones at that wagon vinyl place, according to them they're supposed to know what they're doing, sign guy turned into wagon woodgrain expert.
Stevie Wonder could do a better job of through-matching the grain between panels.

Thanks for the input BV. I guess it's a matter of taste. I prefer a deeper color in reddish tones, and a bolder pattern for di-noc, which is why I like Auto Trim Design's cherry oak. I have seen some "woodies" with really short repeating grain patterns, and I agree: it looks silly to have the exact same swirl pattern repeated every foot - very fake looking and usually not a sharp image either. At that point, no wood is preferable to a hokey looking job. But I think the sample shown in the post I found is large enough to give a good idea of what it would look like on a body panel. Of course, I would get a real sample before ordering any. Also, the Auto Trim Design product is clear-coated over exterior grade vinyl and has a 6-year limited outdoor warranty.

With all the technology now days I can't understand why it is so difficult to reproduce the original pattern and material??? This, to me, is one of, if not THE, most irritating and problematic part that is missing in restoring a "woody" wagon. I have never, EVER, seen any product that matches the original. None. There are some that come KIND of close to SOME cars but, the fact is, there just are no matches.
BV wrote a researched and knowledgeable post on this subject in another thread that I saved. He did a lot of searching and found some highly interesting and important information on the materials and the way they are manufactured. But, the bottom line to date, if you want to match your Di-Noc to have your car look factory....you are simply out of luck.

So, does anyone know what type of wood GM was replicating on the 90 Buick Estate? I want to get as close as possible to the factory style but haven't a clue exactly what wood is represented on my car. I don't know if there's a factory code or something either.
Anybody???

I'm almost positive that it is straight grain oak....at least the lighter of the 2 patterns.

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Thanks, I'll check that out. I need to figure out a way to get that car out of the sunlight. it is murdering the bad side. My son doesn't seem to mind, which is good as It seems wiser to hold off on replacing the stuff until I can be sure it survives his use of it, ha-ha-ha! I do, however, want to get the material as soon as possible.

i was told that lemon pledge (not lemon scented...actually lemon) is the best thing to use on the dinoc. something about the lemon oils actually keep the vinyl pliable. actually it wasnt a a new thing to me. a couple of people i know use it on the tonneus on their pickup trucks.

With all the technology now days I can't understand why it is so difficult to reproduce the original pattern and material??? This, to me, is one of, if not THE, most irritating and problematic part that is missing in restoring a "woody" wagon. I have never, EVER, seen any product that matches the original. None. There are some that come KIND of close to SOME cars but, the fact is, there just are no matches.

Fox, the reason that what's out there in replacement woodgrain is so different from the factory di-noc is that the factory di-noc was created using a rotogravure process (here's a link: http://xpedx.edviser.com/default.asp?req=knowledge/article/152) and the replacement vinyls are digital reproductions. If you look at the back of the factory di-noc, it has a base color for the vinyl roll that goes all the way through the product, on top of which additional colors and grain patterns were formed with the rotogravure process. If you look at the back of the replacement vinyl, it is just gray: the color does not go all the way through the vinyl. Now for the reason why it's difficult to get the factory-look woodgrain today: the rotogravure printing process is expensive to set up and is only really justified by big production runs. The auto makers, for the most part, stopped using woodgrain di-noc in the 1990's. The folks who make the replacement stuff do not have the equipment to produce factory patterns and probably don't care to. To wagon purists, it's frustrating, because you can't get that factory-correct look, but for most customers, the replacement product is fine. I just want to know that if my Colony gets bashed up, there's something close to what I want out there to re-do it with, that looks good and stands up to the elements.

So, does anyone know what type of wood GM was replicating on the 90 Buick Estate? I want to get as close as possible to the factory style but haven't a clue exactly what wood is represented on my car. I don't know if there's a factory code or something either.
Anybody???

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Here are two color/pattern combos that might work well for your Estate:

i was told that lemon pledge (not lemon scented...actually lemon) is the best thing to use on the dinoc. something about the lemon oils actually keep the vinyl pliable. actually it wasnt a a new thing to me. a couple of people i know use it on the tonneus on their pickup trucks.

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Hey Ian, I think that Pledge only provides a short term solution, from what I've read. I found a product last year that's great, and it's been holding up and protecting the di-noc beautifully: Blue Magic Leather Cream Conditioner.

Printed on foil???? I don't think so....
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The patterns on some of that other stuff sticks out like a sore thumb on the car and the pattern repeat is too close to do anything about, looks like a series of eyeballs or satellite hurricae images going down the side of the car.
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